News
| June 25, 2014

City Of Palo Alto To Receive 25MW From 8minutenergy Renewables Solar Farm

PPA Increases Total Megawatts Under Contract to 400MW for Nation's Leading Independent Solar PV Developer

California (PRWEB) - 8minutenergy Renewables, LLC today announced the signing of a 27-year contract to sell 25 megawatts-ac (33.25 MW-dc) of clean, renewable solar energy from its Hayworth Solar Farm project in Kern County, Calif., to the City of Palo Alto Utilities, which serves Palo Alto, Calif. The transaction was conducted with 65HK 8me, LLC, a subsidiary of Calif.-based 8minutenergy Renewables, which is the nation's leading independent solar PV developer. 8minutenergy will develop, build and operate the Hayworth Solar Farm.

The Hayworth Solar Farm project is a utility-scale solar generation facility sited on up to 200 acres of low-productivity farmland. Construction is projected to begin in late 2014, with the site expected to be operational and delivering renewable energy to the City of Palo Alto by mid-2015. This clean solar generation plant will displace the equivalent of approximately 70,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, which is equal to the amount that roughly three million trees would displace annually.

"8minutenergy is proud to provide clean renewable energy to the city most identified with technological innovation in the world, and one that is highly committed to using environmentally friendly energy," said Martin Hermann, chief executive officer of 8minutenergy Renewables. "In addition, Hayworth Solar Farm will create approximately 200 direct and 150 indirect jobs during construction in Kern County, and contribute to the local economy."

"This PPA will power thousands of homes and businesses in Palo Alto, and help our City meet its goal to have a 100 percent renewable electric supply," said City of Palo Alto Utilities Director Valerie Fong. "We are pleased to work with 8minutenergy on this next step down our path to a green energy future."

"The annual production of approximately 63 million kilowatt hours (kWhs) of electricity by Hayworth Solar Farm will generate clean renewable solar energy that will power nearly 12,000 households in one of the most progressive cities in the country,” said Tom Buttgenbach, president of 8minutenergy Renewables. “We appreciate the support this project has received from state, county and local officials, and look forward to continuing to develop the Hayworth Solar Farm."

The City of Palo Alto owns all its own utilities, including the electric utility, which was founded back in 1900. The City has many contracts for renewable resources in its electric portfolio including wind farms, solar arrays and renewable gas captured from landfills. In addition to these renewable resources, about 50 percent of the City’s electric supply portfolio comes from non-carbon emitting hydro-electric generation.

The solar power system for Hayworth Solar Farm will be comprised of state-of-the-art solar photovoltaic modules, related power electronics, and other components including an advanced tracking system that follows the sun to maximize energy production. The PPA contract is pending approval from the California Public Utilities Commission.

About 8minutenergy Renewables, LLC
8minutenergy develops, finances, engineers, constructs, holds, operates and maintains solar projects. To date, 8minutenergy has closed over $1 billion in solar Power Purchase Agreements; been awarded 400MW in PPAs; secured close to 1,000MW in General Interconnection Agreements (GIA); obtained Conditional Use Permits (CUP) for 8,500 acres; and has 15,000 acres under contract. Most recently, 8minutenergy successfully concluded the development of a 260MW solar plant in Imperial Valley, Calif. - Mount Signal Solar - which is now under construction. It represents the first of three phases of an approximately 800MW-dc (600MW-ac) planned solar PV power project - currently the largest in the world.

8minutenergy's proprietary transmission, land and economic analysis process and tools helps select optimal power plant sites for accelerated permitting with counties and utilities. All 8minutenergy solar projects are located on disturbed, low-value farm land. 8minutenergy strives to ensure that its solar power projects provide low cost, clean renewable energy from the sun with low environmental impacts, particularly when compared with public lands projects on pristine desert wildlands. 8minutenergy has offices in Folsom, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and El Centro, California. For more information, please call (916) 608-9060, send email to info(at)8minutenergy(dot)com or visit http://www.8minutenergy.com.